West Country bragging rights will once again be up for grabs on New Years Day, as United take on Somerset rivals Yeovil Town at Huish Park.
With honours even after the 1-1 draw on Boxing Day at Plainmoor, rivalries re-commence with Gary Johnson’s men heading to Huish Park for their first fixture of 2023.
Who’s the boss?
Mark Cooper was appointed as Yeovil’s new boss following the departure of ex-Gulls manager Chris Hargreaves last October. Having take charge of over 800 games, Cooper’s managerial career began with Tamworth, before the former Exeter and Birmingham midfielder moved on to take the reigns at Kettering.
After making his name in non-League circles, Peterborough came calling in 2009, and although his stay at London Road was a brief one, his next job at Darlington saw him mastermind their 2010 FA Trophy success, before a return to Kettering followed. Short tenures at Telford and Notts County bookmarked a two-year stay at Swindon Town, before his longest spell, at Forest Green Rovers, would ultimately see him lead them into the EFL for the first time in their history in 2017.
Barrow would be Mark’s next port of call, before the call from Huish Park saw him head for the other end of the country for his latest quest.
How have they been doing?
After struggling for form under Hargreaves, there’s been a marked improvement in The Glovers’ recent results under Cooper, with the side amassing a respectable eleven points from eight outings under their new boss. They still have work to do in their bid to avoid a relegation dogfight though, as they remain in 19th place, just four points and two spaces of the dreaded bottom-four.
Player to watch
Malachi Linton came off the bench in the Boxing Day fixture to score Yeovil’s equaliser, so will certainly be one to keep an eye on in this return fixture.
Linton came through the Ipswich Town Academy before going on to join Crewe Alexandra’s U18 side following his departure from Portman Road. A loan spell at Lowestoft Town, where he scored 13 goals in a short spell, caught the eye of Wycombe Wanderers, and while at Adams Park the forward spent time on loan at Slough Town for the 2020/21 season. Last season saw the 22 year old on loan at then National League Kings Lynn Town where he scored eight goals in 20 league starts, including one against Torquay in United’s 3-2 win at the Walks in March.
Played for both
Alex Fisher started his career at Oxford United, coming through the youth ranks before making his full league debut in the 2007/08 season and scoring his first goal at 17 in a 4-0 win against Altrincham in January 2008.
Upon his release from the Kassam Stadium, Fisher then spent four years in Europe playing in Spain, Belgium and Italy before his return to the UK in 2014 when he joined Mansfield Town. It was while at the Stags that the forward came to the attention of United and in 21 games played for the Gulls he scored five goals.
A spell in Scotland at Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Motherwell followed before his first spell at Yeovil came in 2018, where in 57 appearances he scored 13 goals. Exeter City & Newport County were his next destinations before his return to the Glovers in the summer of 2022.
Previous encounter
Yeovil Town 1 – 2 Torquay United, Sunday 2nd January 2022, National League.
A stunning long range strike from Yeovil’s Jordan Barnett in the 66th minute lit up this game after a close and tight first half. Ten minutes later it was Connor Lemonheigh-Evans with the equaliser as he scored direct from a corner, with Barnes beaten in the Yeovil goal as the ball curled over his head.
With the game just about to head into added time and a draw looking the most likely result, a scooped ball over the Glovers backline from Lemonheigh-Evans was picked up by Dan Holman, and with one touch he then slammed the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal to send the Yellow Army into dreamland, and bring the three points back to Plainmoor.